Head of Business Development, Fit Out & Retrofit, Construction, UK
I’d always wanted to be an actress, so when I was 18 I moved to Hollywood to attend The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After completing the course, I moved back to England and headed straight for London. Six months later, a chance encounter at an academy reunion led to an interview in business development and the rest is history.
It’s great to support fellow women as part of my role, within a sector that is more heavily male weighted. But that is changing. I’m supported in organising and leading the International Women’s Day events for Mace Interiors, where this year, we presented the male ally charter, discussed women in construction and how we can continue to share knowledge, innovate and develop standards to strengthen the sector. Aside from this, we also host monthly networking lunches, and ensure we have a good mixture of people, as diversity is integral to developing business relationships as well as in gaining fresh perspectives.
We welcome curiosity and different ways of thinking about innovation. I’m also part of Women in Construction forum, where my Managing Director, Stewart Ward is one of the lead male directors. He was part of the team that produced the charter too.
We often organise lunches to provide a forum where women in Interiors can come together to inspire each other and highlight our successes at all levels. We discuss how we can grow together and progress diversity within the industry. And although there is still a slight demographic imbalance, it’s great to be part of making change happen.
Progressing in my role to Head of Business Development, and more recently reaching the Operations Director position have certainly been proud achievements for me. It is also incredibly rewarding to grow a team and nurture talent within it to support our people to succeed. Something I am also really proud of is contributing towards transforming a £50m turnover company to a £200m turnover company, under the leadership of my Managing Director, Stewart Ward. This has been an exciting journey and it’s amazing to be a part of turning the tide. In recent times, the team has celebrated being put forward for awards at industry events such as Mixology and BCO, for projects such as Expedia and Peel Hunt.
Mace is a fantastic place to work. There is so much opportunity to grow and develop, and everyone is really welcoming and genuine. As a team, we muck in together and look out for each other which I think is really important in order to achieve continued success. In terms of the business development side, there are so many different facets to the role; from bringing in new business, working with the marketing team, to attending conferences around the world, and most importantly, delivering office space for some of the best brands out there. We’re dedicated to building a truly inclusive culture at Mace, which is only helped by working within a supportive and trusting team, for an industry leading brand that people have confidence in.
Business development is one of those jobs that suits a particular type of personality. You need to have energy, enthusiasm and be comfortable in communicating confidently with different audiences. It helps if you’re able to multi-task and think on your feet, so that you can juggle multiple things at once and digest information quickly. This is so that you can accumulate a good understanding of what clients are looking for. The market is constantly evolving and so you need to keep your finger on the pulse at all times.
There isn’t a business development degree as such, so my role is often misunderstood. To anyone looking to enter the role, I’d suggest doing some work experience first if you can. If you can demonstrate that you’re ambitious, outgoing and hardworking, these core skills will help you to land a role. It’s like putting together a jigsaw - you need to be able to spot new opportunities, so make sure to be inquisitive and also keen to deliver to client’s needs.
Yoga and running are great stress relievers for me, and I love anything theatrical that includes singing, dancing, and acting! Chicago is one of my favourite West End productions.
Without a doubt, an academy award winning actress - hopefully!